1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is concerned with novel peptides, hydrogels comprising those peptides, and methods of making such hydrogels.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Using peptide hydrogels as injectable materials for tissue engineering and other biotechnological applications has been an important discovery made over the past few decades. Because of its high water content and polymer network, peptide hydrogels are a promising material for storage and transfer of proteins without significant loss of their biological activity. A sol-gel transformation occurs when peptide molecules self-assemble into a well-defined nanofiber network that traps water molecules. Because this transformation occurs at specific temperatures and pHs, peptide hydrogel precursors may be injected into the body in the liquid phase and converted into hydrogels when physiological conditions (e.g., pH, temperature) change in vivo, which is important for injectable applications.
There is particularly a need for injectable hydrogels that are shear thinning and have rapid recovery characteristics. Such a hydrogel should have a storage modulus that decreases sharply under a shearing force, but that recover after the force is removed. The present invention meets this need.